The Owl demon flew over the convoy as it traveled through the Shir dessert on its way to Tehom. Its cargo was human slaves; no doubt destined for the newly formed auction blocks that Nergal swiftly enacted as part of his sweeping decrees the demon thought as he stayed up high. Using the clouds as cover as he manages to keep the caravan of ten cargo wagons each being pulled by two nightmare steeds.
‘Light on guards,’ the owl demon thought; he only counted ten of Nergal’s loyal soldiers keeping a watch as they made their way along. The owl demon was soon joined by twelve other fliers. Two had the heads and wings of a cardinal; the rest were an assortment of demon with two to four pairs of bat like wings. The Cardinal demons nod to the owl demon before they swoop down toward the convoy. Drawing their swords they quickly slice two of the guards before flying back up and out of range of the crossbow bolts.
The owl demon noted on eight guards remain as the rest of the fliers drop out of the clouds and drop down jars full of caustic chemicals. The reaction was instantaneous; the guards forced to drop their weapons just as the nightmare steeds whinny the moment the chemical touch their hides; causing the beasts to buck and break there bonds and flee into the dessert.
“Finish them off,” a toad like demon coming out of a portal along with twenty other demons; all brandishing serated blades and wicked looking swords. Nergals men never stood a chance as they were cut down; all turning to ash as the screaming sounds of the condemned human souls could be heard through the dessert. The chemicals dropped were similar to the acidic brimstone showers that the eighth and ninth circles of hell are famous for.
“Shut them up,” the toad demon exhaling from his cigar; “get them back to the palace of Vermin. Hecate and father brown will sort them out."
Baal snuffs out his cigar and he crests the sand dune; seeing the city of Tehom in the distance he readies his army as more pour through the portals for what is looking like a nasty siege.
“Attack the front gate Alecto says,” Commander Baal using his Binoculars to see soldier stationed between the wall crinolines; “It will be easy she says.”
“She has the easy job,” the owl demon smirking; “smelly but easy.”
***************************
Alecto was in a sour mood; losing a simple wager to Baal as to who get to launch a feint assault on the front gates while the true assault on Tehom takes place in the sewers. It was a smelly plan that she won thank to a silly human game called Rock Paper Scissors. She chose rock to Baal’s paper; Baal laughing as he walked away telling her to enjoy the muck and mud.
The snake haired demon swore under breath as she stepped on what she was hoping was a dead vole and not the excrement she was smelling.
“We have arrived,” A forward whispering as she approached; “underneath the Tehom palace.”
“The storerooms to be precise,” Alecto nodding; “begin breaking through.”
The Kobold miners managed to make quick work of the stone wall standing between them and their objective. The dim sound of an alarm going off signals her that Baal’s assault has begun.
“Good,” Alecto being the first through the hole; “they will be too busy dealing with him to realize we are under them.”
******************************************
Abyzou Morningstar was looking worse for wear; caught off guard over Nergal’s coup, she and her wife were soon apprehended and sent to the dungeons. With Nergal’s twisted desire for torture, he ordered that Abyzou be separated from her spouse, Alabasandria and their children. The snaked headed demon tried to fight but the sight of her daughter with a dagger to her throat soon made the archduchess of the second circle compliant of Nergal’s demands.
So she sat in the dungeon without food or water nor anyone to talk to. Abyzou’s only company was the torturous screams of other prisoners as she was tied up and left lying in the middle of her cell. She lost track of time as she waited for her fate; Abyzou knew Nergal was going to have her executed; it was only a matter of time. The sound of a struggle outside of her cell broke her out of her doldrums as a lock was turned and in walked her sister Alecto.
“Alecto,” Abyzou struggling; “get me loose. They have Alabasandria!”
“Keep it down,” Alecto cutting her sister’s bonds “the palace has no idea we are here. They think Baal’s siege is the real assault.”
“This isn’t a rescue mission then,” Abyzou flexing the circulation back into her joints; “what is this then?”
“Counter offensive,” Alecto signaling her troops to fan out and look for prisoners to free; “we are stripping Nergal’s control of hell. One circle at a time if need be.”
“Then give me a sword,” Abyzou flexing her stegosaurus like tail; “the fuck twat in charge is about to have a really bad day.”
****************************************
The demon looked towards the city gate with mild concern as he ate a grape being served to him from a slave. The demon with bony protrusions growing from his face just smiled.
‘Nergal’s men will deal with them,’ he thought. Standing up and stretching his fore and hind legs; the bony faced demon with the lower half of donkey signals for his slave to leave; seeing his scared back from his latest whipping did bring a smile to the demon’s face. He turns back around to see smoke coming from the gates of Tehom.
“Give me a report as to what is going on,” The demon signaling to a waiting guard; “then bring me Alabasandria. I believe it is time to relieve hell of her human stink.”
“That’s what you think,” Abyzou entering her private chambers that this donkeytaur demon is infesting; rushing the demon before he could react. Abyzou plunges her blade into the demon’s rear back; the blade biting deep as it severs the spinal cord ensuring the tauric demon lost the use of his hind legs.
“Hurts doesn’t it;” Abyzou glaring; “I hope for your sake that my wife and children are all hail and healthy.”
“How,” the demon struggling to move; “you’re supposed to be locked up!"
“Finish him off sister,” Alecto entering the chambers; “we’ll find your wife and children.”
“Pity,” Abyzou glaring at Nergal’s lackey; “I was looking forward to flaying the fur off your hide and using it for swaddling cloth.” She raises the blade and slices the demon’s head clean off; his body dissolving into ash.
“Good news Abyzou,” Alecto returning; “we found Alabasandria.”
“And the children,” the cobra headed demon looking hopeful.
“With her,” Alecto responding; “all are in a magical coma.”
“Good news indeed,” Abyzou looking out towards the front gates of Tehom to see Baal’s forces overwhelming Nergal’s forces; “good news indeed.”